Endless-chain propeller.



No. 641,668. Patented Jan. 23, I900.

R. BEGAS.

ENDLESS CHAIN PROPELLEB.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

N0. 64!,668. Patented Jan. 23, I900. R. BEGAS.

ENDLESS CHAIN PRUPELLER.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Fines.

REINHOLD BEGAS, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

ENDLESS-CHAIN PROPELLER.

$1 IE1GIFICA'JZION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,668, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed August 8, 1899- Serial No. 726,534- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REINHOLD BEGAS, a citizen of the Kingdom of Prussia, and a resident of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Endless-Chain Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of propellers known as endless-chain paddles and it consists more especially in a peculiar arrangement for guiding the paddles in such a way as to insure to the propelled vehicle the most advantageous propulsion and to the propeller the most effective utilization.

Of the affixed drawings, Figure l is an elevation and Fig. 2 a view from above. Fig. 3 is a section through the back part of the propeller as seen from behind, and in Fig. 4 a front and side elevation of one of the paddles is shown.

This propeller, which may be located either in a Well-hole in some suitable part of the ship or one on each side of the ship, as shown in the drawings, consists of two pairs of sprocket wheels 2 and 3, each pair being mounted on one common shaft 1 and 4E, and two chains 5 5, running one on the inside and one on the outside wheels. Of the shafts of the sprocket-wheels either one or both may be connected in any suitable way with the crank of a motor or with a crooked handle, (for hand-drivin g.) The paddles 6 are mounted between these two chains by means of a pin 7 on each side of the paddle. A track 10 to guide the paddles is mounted between the chains in a position eccentric to the shafts of the sprocket-wheel. This track consists of an endless rail of double T form. The paddles have on one narrow side a notch 8, bearing at its outer ends two pins ending in buttons 9 9, fitting in the bearings on both sides of the guiding-rail 10.

To explain the working of the propeller, the water-line may be supposed to coincide with the lower part of the guiding-rail, so that the paddles in traveling through the water are totally immersed. The eccentric p0- sition of the guiding-rail allows the paddles to be drawn through the water in an upright position, thus utilizing the whole of their surface for pressure. On leaving the water the dles on being drawn out of the water in an upright position would act as brakes for the time of their ascending vertically. Thus in leaving the water the paddles are forced to pass from the vertical through the horizontal into a slightly-inclined position. In this way the paddles in gliding along the upper part of the guiding-rail ofier hardly any resistance to the air, thus diminishing the amount of power to be exercised upon the propellershaft. In descending into the water at the front of the propeller the paddles pass through a similar and even more effective movement than that exercised on ascending. The paddle descending into the water on the lefthand side of Fig. 1 shows the nature of this movement. As the paddles leave the water head first, so they descend into it in nearly the same way; but by turning completely around (the lowest point of the circular part of the rail being the center of this turning movement) the paddle after touching the water with the head first immediately after en ters the water in a horizontal position and in further turning in the water exercises a pressure partially horizontal and vertical upon the water until the chain-link bearing the paddle has reached its lowest position. Now the paddle assumes a vertical position and without altering it is drawn through the Water. This turning movement of the paddle on entering the water eifects a fair imitation of the entering motion of the oar-blade in rowing boats. The skilled rower does not dip the blade of this oar into the water' in a vertical position, as through the forward motion of the boat the oar-blade would act as a brake during the time of its vertically entering the water; but through dipping it in in a nearly horizontal position not only the brake action is avoided, but also a vertical pressure upon the water is exercised, which causes the bow of the boat to rise a little, thus diminishing the resistance offered to the water. The endless-chain propellers hitherto existing do not consider these facts, but, on the contrary, the fact of their paddles entering and leaving the water in a vertical position (thus ofierin g the therein and embracing an endless guiding- 1 rail of I shape located vertically between the chains, its lower part lying just below the axles of the sprocket-wheels, the'paddles being thus forced to glide on the track always with the head first, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REINl-IOLD BEGAS.

Witnesses:

WERNER BEGAS, MICHEL D. WINES. 

